A14 drivers told to ignore sat navs and use official 16-mile diversion for Thrapston bridge works
A14 drivers have been told to ignore their sat navs and use an official 16.5-mile diversion during roadworks on Thrapston viaduct.
People living in communities alongside the route have been assured the impact of three-month bridge repairs will be kept to a minimum where possible.
Work will start on Friday, August 29 to replace an expansion joint between junctions 12 and 13, on the viaduct over the A14 at Thrapston.
A spokesman for National Highways said: “The diversion is A6 from A14 J10 and A45 back to A14 at J13, or vice versa. This is suitable for HGVs and designed to reduce rat running through local communities. We ask all road users to follow the signed diversions rather than sat navs.”
Junction 10 of the A14 to Junction 13 is 7.4 miles.
The official 16.5-mile diversion will take motorists off the A14 at junction 10 onto the A6 near Barton Seagrave directing traffic past Burton Latimer, through Finedon, past Irthlingborough to the A45 at Chowns Mill roundabout.
Drivers will be sent back to rejoin the A14 junction 13 using the A45 – or vice versa, depending on the direction of carriageway closures.
People who choose to use back roads to avoid the closure could be taken on a 10.2-mile route – but it would use weight-limited routes including the ancient Nine Arches Bridge across the River Nene between Islip and Thrapston.
National Highways contractors say they have planned works on one carriageway at a time to ‘reduce’ the amount of traffic diverting through Thrapston and other smaller communities.
Project manager Simon Wagstaff has promised a safety van will be positioned in Thrapston to record HGVs ignoring the town’s weight limit – footage of breaches will then be shared with police and transport managers.
Mr Wagstaff said: “We are determined, where possible, to minimise disruption for not only the people using our roads but also those in nearby communities who may be impacted by our work.
“We’ve been working with the police, local councils and MP to understand concerns about high volumes of traffic diverting through Thrapston, particularly those ignoring the weight limit. During the work we will be reminding road users to follow the well signed diversion route and not their sat navs.”
One resident has expressed their doubts traffic will be prevented from using the back roads into Thrapston.
They said: “Measures introduced previously haven’t stopped traffic and HGVs coming via Islip and Thrapston or using routes through the villages.
"Even if vehicles are recorded, there still needs to be resources for enforcement with immediate action taken and publicity about action or fines. It still needs frequent monitoring, spot checks, appropriate signage and warning notices. Experience suggests that won’t happen.”
Traffic management will include overnight carriageway closures, one direction at a time, with one lane closed on the opposite carriageway. Two full weekend closures are planned with dates to be confirmed, but they will also be one direction at a time.
Work begins on Friday, August 29 and is due to be completed in December.
A spokesman for National Highways added: “The first carriageway closures will begin on August 29 for a week on the eastbound carriageway and the following week it will be the westbound carriageway – both weeknights only and will allow the installation of traffic management.
"Work will then focus on the eastbound carriageway until the end of October and then switch to the westbound side until the work is completed in December.”
Road users and local communities can to find out more about the work on the bridge from the project team at a public information event taking place later this month.
Members of the project team will be on hand to discuss the work on Tuesday, July 22, at the Co-op in Oundle Road, Thrapston, from 11am to 6pm.
The email address for people to join the distribution list is [email protected].